Installations for the electroslag remelting of metallic consumable electrodes

ABSTRACT

Apparatus and method for the electroslag remelting of metallic consumable electrodes comprising a bottom plate, a discrete slag inlet means disposed on said bottom plate and a hollow mold disposed on the latter, said slag inlet means establishing fluid flow communication between said mold and an access port outside of said mold into which slag may be poured. A bottom pour apparatus useable in the foregoing. A removable slag inlet conduit in fluid-flow communication with the slag inlet in said slag inlet means.

United States Patent 1191 [111 3,734,164 Latash et al. 1 1 May 22, 1973[54] INSTALLATIONS FOR THE [56] References Cited ggggggggggggggg OFUNITED ELECTRODES 3,501,125 3/1970 Fransson ..249/109 x Inventors: J yVadimovich i Bflris FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS gfijfij jfflfiifijfi'gfiflgj. 1,257,934 2/1961 France 1. ..l64/l37 Petmich Kaganovskyboth of 689,297 4/1967 Belgium ..l64/252 Zaporozhie, all of U.S.S.R.

Institut Electrosvarki lmeni Patona, Kiev, U.S.S.R.

Filed: July 16, 1971 Appl. No.: 163,466

Related US. Application Data Continuation of Ser. No. 669,608, Sept. 21,1967, abandoned.

Assignee:

Primary Examiner-Robert D. Baldwin Attorney-Waters, Roditi, Schwartz &Nissen [5 7] ABSTRACT Apparatus and method for the electroslag remeltingof metallic consumable electrodes comprising a bottom plate, a discreteslag inlet means disposed on said bottom plate and a hollow molddisposed on the latter, said slag inlet means establishing fluid flowcommunication between said mold and an access port outside of said moldinto which slag may be poured. A bottom pour apparatus useable in theforegoing. A removable slag inlet conduit in fluid-flow communicationwith the slag inlet in said slag inlet means.

21 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures n i L\\\\ u 5 INSTALLATIONS FOR THEELECTROSLAG REMELTING OF METALLIC CONSUMABLE ELECTRODES This applicationis a continuation of Ser. No. 669,608 filed Sept. 21, 1967, nowabandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates toinstallations for the electroslag remelting of metallic consumableelectrodes, and more particularly to installations, in which the castingof slag into a mold is carried out through a bottom pour arrangement.

An earlier filed co-pending US. application Ser. No. 592,054, filed Nov.4, 1966, now abandoned, having common ownership with the presentapplication is directed to installations provided with a duct arrangement for bottom pouring of slag into the mold, and its disclosure isincorporated herein by reference thereto.

In the existing installations, the channel for feeding slag from theduct arrangement into the mold is made in the bottom plate or mold, orpartially in both of them.

These installations allow the slag to be poured into the mold easily andefficiently.

In these cases, however, bottom plates or molds of the special designmust be employed, i.e., those having a slag-feeding channel which,eventually, complicates and makes more expensive the construction of theinstallation, and also decreases the service life of both the bottomplate and mold.

An object of the present invention is to eliminate the above-saiddisadvantages.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an installation forthe electroslag remelting, provided with a duct arrangement for pouringslag, the bottom plate and mold of which installation will not requirethe above-mentioned construction modifications.

The present invention features an installation for the electroslagremelting of metallic consumable electrodes, comprising a mold with abottom plate and a duct arrangement for pouring slag into the mold. Inconformity with the invention, disposed between the mold and bottomplate is a plate having in its central portion an opening and a lateralchannel entering this opening, which channel communicates with said ductarrangement.

It is expedient that the portion of the plate with the lateral channelextend. beyond the mold in order to place the duct arrangement directlyon the plate.

To decrease the bottom croppage in the subsequent treatment of an ingotbeing remelted and to facilitate FIG. 1 ,is a part of the installationof the invention,

shown in a longitudinal cross section;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the installation with the mold removed.

The installation for the electroslag remelting comprises a bottom plate1 (FIGS. 1 and 2) having disposed thereon a plate 2 mounting a cooledmold 3 whereon an ingot to be remelted is forming.

The plate 2 has in its central portion an opening 4 with a lateralchannel 3 entering therein, which channel 5 communicates with a channel6 of a duct arrangement 7, provided with a receiving funnel 8 andintended for pouring slag into the mold 3.

The walls of the opening 4 and lateral channel 5 of the plate 2slope'upwards in widening fashion in the direction of the mold 3. Thisis aimed at ensuring the conical shape of the bottom portion of theingot being remelted and thus at reducing the bottom croppage in thesubsequent treatment of the ingot, while also facilitating the removalof the ingot from the bottom plate 1 and the cleaning of the plate 2from the slag.

The opening 4 of the plate 2 is shaped so as to correspond to theinternal cross section of the mold 3.

The height of the plate 2 and the width of the lateral channel 5 when itis overlapped by the mold 3 and bottom plate 1 ensure the obtaining of aspace sufficient for the slag passage.

. It is expedient to select the length of the channel 5 in the plate 2in such a manner that. its end will pass outside the limits of the mold3. In this case, the duct arrangement 7 is placed directly on the plate2, adjoining with its base 9 the flange 10 of the mold 3.

When using a metal plate 2, channels 11 are provided therein forsupplying a cooling agent, for instance, wa-

ter.

Centering projections 12 are provided in the plate 2 so as to ensure thecorrect adjustment of the mold 3 in relation to the plate 2 after eachmelt.

the cleaning of the lateral channel from solidified slag,

it is desirable to make the walls of the opening and those of the platelateral channel cone-shaped with increasing diameter in the direction ofthe mold.

It is preferred that the opening provided in the central portion of theplate be shaped similarly to the internal cross section of the mold.

The plate may be manufactured of a refractory material, for example,graphite. Yet, most expedient is the use ofa metal plate, e.g., steel orcopper, provided with channels for a cooling agent. On remelting aningot, the mold must be removed from the plate. For this reason, it isexpedient to have provided on the plate centering projections so as toaccurately adjust the mold thereafter.

Conventional elements used in electroslag remelting furnaces such aselectrodes, means for their supply, including gear mechanism for feedingthe electrodes, and the like are not described in detail except torestate from the electroslag art that the electrodes are disposed withintheir mold without contacting the sidewalls thereof and that theelectrodes are electrically energized to provide remelting energythereto. An electrode 13 and gear 14 for feeding the electrode are shownschematically in FIG. 1, and those components as well as otherelectroslag remelting installation components can be seen and aredescribed in more detail in the aforedescribed co-pending applicationSer. No. 592,054, now abandoned.

The installation operates as follows.

The mold 3 is placed upon the plate 2 which in turn is placed on thebottom plate 1. Provided on the portion of the plate 2 extending fromunder the mold 3 is the duct arrangement 7 in such a manner that itsbase 9 will adjoin the flange 10 of the mold 3 while the lower exit endof the channel 6 of this arrangement will coincide with the initialportion of the channel in the plate 2.

Owing to overlapping of the channel 5 by the bottom plate 1, the flange10 of the mold 3 and the base 9 of the duct arrangement 7, a space isformed in the plate 2 connecting the internal space of the mold 3 withthe duct arrangement 7.

Thereafter a required amount of slag is poured into the receiving funnel8, the slag having been premelted in a separate furnace. As the level ofslag in the mold 3 approaches a consumable electrode 13, the process ofremelting this electrode begins. Gear mechanism 14 is used to lower theelectrode to its proper position in the mold prior to starting theinstallation and is used to feed the electrode relative to the moldduring the remelting process.

After building up and solidification of a certain portion of the ingot,the duct arrangement 7 may be removed from the plate 2 for effecting thepreparation of the subsequent melt.

On completing the melt, the mold 3 is raised, the ingot (which is notshown in the drawing) is removed from the bottom plate 1, and theinternal surfaces of the walls of the plate 2 are cleaned from the slag.

The invention enables the bottom pouring of slag in existinginstallations without having recourse to any reconstruction thereof.

The present invention is not limited by the exemplary embodiment thusdescribed, and there may be conceived modifications thereof which do notdepart from the concept and scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for the electroslag remelting of metal comprising a moldbottom plate including cooling means; a discrete slag inlet meansincluding cooling means disposed on said mold bottom plate having meansenabling removal of hardened slag so said discrete slag inlet means maybe reused; a hollow mold including cooling means disposed on said slaginlet means for the formation of an ingot in said mold on said bottomplate; and means for feeding an electrically energized consumable metalelectrode relative to said mold with the end of the electrode disposedwithin said mold for remelting; said slag inlet means having a passagetherein'which establishes fluid-flow communication between the hollowofsaid mold and an access port outside said mold into which molten slagmay be poured.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said slag inlet means isdisposed on but is removable from said bottom plate.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 additionally comprising a removableslag inlet conduit in fluid-flow communication with said access port.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein a portion of said slag inletmeans extends laterally beyond said mold, said slag inlet conduit beingpositioned on said laterally extending portion of said slag inlet.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said slag inlet means coolingmeans comprises a flow passage for receiving a coolant fluid.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said slag inlet means isprovided with positioning means for 10- eating said mold in apredetermined position on said slag inlet means.

-7. Apparatus for the electroslag remelting of metal comprising a bottomplate including cooling means; a

discrete slag inlet means including cooling means disposed on saidbottom plate; a hollow mold including cooling means, disposed on saidslag inlet means for the formation of an ingot; and means for feeding anelectrically energized consumable metal electrode relative to said moldwith the end of the electrode disposed within said mold for remelting;said slag inlet means having an access port outside said mold andprovided with a central opening in communication with the hollow of saidmold; said central opening extending longitudinally completely throughsaid slag inlet means to establish communication between the hollow ofsaid mold and said bottom plate; said central opening communicating withsaid access port through a laterally extending channel in said slaginlet means, establishing fluid-flow communication between the hollow ofsaid mold and said access port into which molten slag may be poured into commence remelting.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said central opening and saidlaterally extending channel are bounded by walls which diverge in thedirection of said mold.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said central openingsubstantially corresponds in shape to the internal cross-section of saidmold.

10. Bottom-pour apparatus for use in construction of a bottom-pouredelectroslag remelting furnace which includes a hollow mold, means forcooling the mold, a mold bottom plate, means for cooling the bottomplate, and means for feeding an electrically energized consumable metalelectrode relative to the mold with the end of the electrode disposed insaid mold for remelting, said bottom pour apparatus comprising adiscrete member with cooling means adapted to be interposed between saidbottom plate and said mold with said mold atop said member; saiddiscrete member having a substantially centrally disposed port forcommunicating with the hollow of said mold; an access port in saidmember; a passage in said discrete member establishing fluid-flowcommunication between said centrally disposed port and said access port;said access port being laterally displaced from said centrally disposedport so as to be accessible from a point outside said mold when saiddiscrete member is interposed between said bottom plate and said mold;and said port and passage include structural formations enabling removalof hardened slag so that said discrete member may be reused.

l1. Bottom-pour apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said discretemember cooling means comprises a flow passage for receiving a coolangfluid.

12. Bottom-pour apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said centrallydisposed port substantially corresponds in shape to the internalcross-section of said mold.

l3. Bottom-pour apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said discretemember contains positioning means for locating said mold in apredetermined position on said discrete member.

14. Bottom-pour apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said centrallydisposed port and said fluid-flow communication passage are bounded bywalls which diverge in the direction of said mold.

15. Bottom-pour apparatus for use in construction of a bottom pouredelectroslag remelting furnace which includes a hollow mold with coolingmeans, a bottom plate with cooling means and means for feeding anelectrically energized consumable metal electrode relative to said moldwith the end of the electrode disposed within said mold for remelting,said bottom pour apparatus comprising a discrete member adapted to beinterposed between said bottom plate and said mold with said mold atopsaid member; means for cooling said discrete member; said discretemember having a substantially centrally disposed port extendinglongitudinally completely through said discrete member to establishcommunication between the hollow of said mold and said bottom plate; anaccess port in said member; and a passage in said discrete memberestablishing fluid-flow communication between said centrally disposedport and said access port; said access port being laterally displacedfrom said centrally disposed port so as to be accessible from a pointoutside said mold when said discrete member is interposed between saidbottom plate and said mold.

16. Apparatus as defined in claim wherein said discrete member isdisposed on but is removable from said bottom plate.

17. Apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein said means for cooling saiddiscrete member comprises a flow passage for receiving a coolant fluid.

18. Apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein said centrally disposedport substantially corresponds in shape to the internal cross-section ofsaid mold.

19. Apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein said discrete member isprovided with positioning means for locating said mold in apredetermined position on said discrete member.

20. Apparatus as defined in claim 15 additionally comprising a removableslag inlet conduit in fluid-flow communication with said access port.

21. Apparatus as defined in claim 20 wherein a portion of said discretemember extends laterally beyond said mold, said slag inlet conduit beingpositioned on said laterally extending portion of said discrete member.

1. Apparatus for the electroslag remelting of metal comprising a moldbottom plate including cooling means; a discrete slag inlet meansincluding cooling means disposed on said mold bottom plate having meansenabling removal of hardened slag so said discrete slag inlet means maybe reused; a hollow mold including cooling means disposed on said slaginlet means for the formation of an ingot in said mold on said bottomplate; and means for feeding an electrically energized consumable metalelectrode relative to said mold with the end of the electrode disposedwithin said mold for remelting; said slag inlet means having a passagetherein which establishes fluid-flow communication between the hollow ofsaid mold and an access port outside said mold into which molten slagmay be poured.
 2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said slaginlet means is disposed on but is removable from said bottom plate. 3.Apparatus as defined in claim 1 additionally comprising a removable slaginlet conduit in fluid-flow communication with said access port. 4.Apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein a portion of said slag inletmeans extends laterally beyond said mold, said slag inlet conduit beingpositioned on said laterally extending portion of said slag inlet. 5.Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said slag inlet means coolingmeans comprises a flow passage for receiving a coolant fluid. 6.Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said slag inlet means isprovided with positioning means for locating said mold in apredetermined position on said slag inlet means.
 7. Apparatus for theelectroslag remelting of metal comprising a bottom plate includingcooling means; a discrete slag inlet means including cooling meansdisposed on said bottom plate; a hollow mold including cooling means,disposed on said slag inlet means for the formation of an ingot; andmeans for feeding an electrically energized consumable metal electroderelative to said mold with the end of the electrode disposed within saidmold for remelting; said slag inlet means having an access port outsidesaid mold and provided with a central opening in communication with thehollow of said mold; said central opening extending longitudinallycompletely through said slag inlet means to establish communicationbetween the hollow of said mold and said bottom plate; said centralopening communicating with said access port through a laterallyextending channel in said slag inlet means, establishing fluid-flowcommunication between the hollow of said mold and said access port intowhich molten slag may be poured in to commence remelting.
 8. Apparatusas defined in claim 7 wherein said central opening and saiD laterallyextending channel are bounded by walls which diverge in the direction ofsaid mold.
 9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said centralopening substantially corresponds in shape to the internal cross-sectionof said mold.
 10. Bottom-pour apparatus for use in construction of abottom-poured electroslag remelting furnace which includes a hollowmold, means for cooling the mold, a mold bottom plate, means for coolingthe bottom plate, and means for feeding an electrically energizedconsumable metal electrode relative to the mold with the end of theelectrode disposed in said mold for remelting, said bottom pourapparatus comprising a discrete member with cooling means adapted to beinterposed between said bottom plate and said mold with said mold atopsaid member; said discrete member having a substantially centrallydisposed port for communicating with the hollow of said mold; an accessport in said member; a passage in said discrete member establishingfluid-flow communication between said centrally disposed port and saidaccess port; said access port being laterally displaced from saidcentrally disposed port so as to be accessible from a point outside saidmold when said discrete member is interposed between said bottom plateand said mold; and said port and passage include structural formationsenabling removal of hardened slag so that said discrete member may bereused.
 11. Bottom-pour apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein saiddiscrete member cooling means comprises a flow passage for receiving acoolang fluid.
 12. Bottom-pour apparatus as defined in claim 10 whereinsaid centrally disposed port substantially corresponds in shape to theinternal cross-section of said mold.
 13. Bottom-pour apparatus asdefined in claim 10 wherein said discrete member contains positioningmeans for locating said mold in a predetermined position on saiddiscrete member.
 14. Bottom-pour apparatus as defined in claim 10wherein said centrally disposed port and said fluid-flow communicationpassage are bounded by walls which diverge in the direction of saidmold.
 15. Bottom-pour apparatus for use in construction of a bottompoured electroslag remelting furnace which includes a hollow mold withcooling means, a bottom plate with cooling means and means for feedingan electrically energized consumable metal electrode relative to saidmold with the end of the electrode disposed within said mold forremelting, said bottom pour apparatus comprising a discrete memberadapted to be interposed between said bottom plate and said mold withsaid mold atop said member; means for cooling said discrete member; saiddiscrete member having a substantially centrally disposed port extendinglongitudinally completely through said discrete member to establishcommunication between the hollow of said mold and said bottom plate; anaccess port in said member; and a passage in said discrete memberestablishing fluid-flow communication between said centrally disposedport and said access port; said access port being laterally displacedfrom said centrally disposed port so as to be accessible from a pointoutside said mold when said discrete member is interposed between saidbottom plate and said mold.
 16. Apparatus as defined in claim 15 whereinsaid discrete member is disposed on but is removable from said bottomplate.
 17. Apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein said means forcooling said discrete member comprises a flow passage for receiving acoolant fluid.
 18. Apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein saidcentrally disposed port substantially corresponds in shape to theinternal cross-section of said mold.
 19. Apparatus as defined in claim15 wherein said discrete member is provided with positioning means forlocating said mold in a predetermined position on said discrete member.20. Apparatus as defined in claim 15 additionally comprising a removableslag inlet conduit in fluid-flow communication with said access port.21. Apparatus as defined in claim 20 whErein a portion of said discretemember extends laterally beyond said mold, said slag inlet conduit beingpositioned on said laterally extending portion of said discrete member.